Full Review

Kavalan

Kavalan
Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky

Category: Taiwanese Whisky

Date Tasted:
Country: Taiwan
Alcohol: 58.6%
94 Points
Gold Medal
Exceptional
$214

Kavalan
Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky

Category: Taiwanese Whisky

Date Tasted:
Country: Taiwan
Alcohol: 58.6%
Bronze color. Aromas and flavors of bourbon barreled maple syrup, chocolate covered almonds, candied orange, and mocha and caramel bread pudding with a round, vibrant, dry medium-to-full body and a long finish with notes of spiced figs, milk chocolate and dark chocolate with cinnamon, leather and cigar box, and maple brown sugar and kola nut. Rich chocolate, fruit, and nuts on the nose balanced with vibrant spices on the palate and all while keeping the ABV in check; this is some really impressive juice.

Tasting Info

Spirits Glass Style: Rich & Full
Aroma Aroma: bourbon barreled maple syrup, chocolate covered almonds, candied orange, and mocha and caramel bread pudding
Taste Flavor: Same as aromas with notes of spiced figs, milk chocolate and dark chocolate with cinnamon, leather and cigar box, and maple brown sugar and kola nut
Smoothness Smoothness: Normal
Finish Finish: Long
Enjoy Enjoy: Enjoy on its own
Bottom Line Bottom Line: Rich chocolate, fruit, and nuts on the nose balanced with vibrant spices on the palate and all while keeping the ABV in check; this is some really impressive juice.

The Producer

Kavalan Distillery

The Producer
326, Section 2, Yuan-shan Road
Yuan-Shan, Yilan 26444
Taiwan
886 -39229000

Their Portfolio

88 Kavalan Classic Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $92.99.
93 Kavalan Concertmaster Port Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $99.99.
93 Kavalan Concertmaster Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $99.99.
90 Kavalan Distillery Select No.1 Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $59.99.
95 Kavalan Distillery Select No. 2 Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $59.99.
93 Kavalan Triple Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $119.99.
94 Kavalan Podium Single Malt Whisky 46% (Taiwan) $128.99.
97 Kavalan Solist Ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $159.99.
90 Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 59.4% (Taiwan) $224.99.
95 Kavalan Solist Fino Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $469.99.
96 Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 55.6% (Taiwan) $257.99.
96 Kavalan Distillery Reserve Peated Malt Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 54% (Taiwan) $89.99.
95 Kavalan Distillery Reserve Rum Cask Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 55.6% (Taiwan) $89.99.
89 Kavalan Solist Madeira Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $299.99.
92 Kavalan Solist Brandy Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.8% (Taiwan) $299.99.
89 Kavalan Solist Port Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 56.3% (Taiwan) $299.99.
95 Kavalan Solist Amontillado Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 55.6% (Taiwan) $599.99.
95 Kavalan Solist Manzanilla Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 58.6% (Taiwan) $599.99.
92 Kavalan Solist PX Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $699.99.
96 Kavalan Solist Moscatel Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $599.99.
91 Kavalan Classic Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $92.00.
90 Kavalan Concertmaster Port Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $99.00.
93 Kavalan Concertmaster Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $99.00.
92 Kavalan Concertmaster Vinho Barrique Finish Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $99.00.
91 Kavalan Distillery Select No.1 Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $59.00.
93 Kavalan Distillery Select No. 2 Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $59.00.
93 Kavalan Triple Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $119.00.
92 Kavalan Podium Single Malt Whisky 46% (Taiwan) $102.00.
94 Kavalan Solist Ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 54.8% (Taiwan) $195.00.
95 Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 53.2% (Taiwan) $214.00.
93 Kavalan Solist Fino Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $469.00.
92 Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 54.8% (Taiwan) $214.00.
92 Kavalan Distillery Reserve Peated Malt Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 51.6% (Taiwan) $89.00.
94 Kavalan Distillery Reserve Madeira Cask Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.8% (Taiwan) $89.00.
96 Kavalan Solist Brandy Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $214.00.
93 Kavalan Solist Port Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $214.00.
95 Kavalan Solist Amontillado Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $599.00.
95 Kavalan Solist Manzanilla Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.8% (Taiwan) $599.00.
94 Kavalan Solist PX Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 55.6% (Taiwan) $699.00.
95 Kavalan Solist Moscatel Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 53.2% (Taiwan) $599.00.
92 Kavalan Classic Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $92.00.
90 Kavalan Concertmaster Port Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $99.00.
92 Kavalan Concertmaster Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $99.00.
91 Kavalan Concertmaster Vinho Barrique Finish Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $99.00.
90 Kavalan Distillery Select No.1 Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $59.00.
94 Kavalan Distillery Select No.2 Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $59.00.
93 Kavalan Triple Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky 43% (Taiwan) $99.00.
90 Kavalan Wine Oak Single Malt Whisky 43% (Taiwan) $102.00.
90 Kavalan Port Oak Single Malt Whisky 43% (Taiwan) $102.00.
92 Kavalan Podium Single Malt Whisky 46% (Taiwan) $102.00.
91 Kavalan Master’s Select Reserve No.1 Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $112.00.
90 Kavalan Master’s Select Reserve No.2 Single Malt Whisky 40% (Taiwan) $112.00.
93 Kavalan Solist Ex-Bourbon Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 54% (Taiwan) $195.00.
95 Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $214.00.
97 Kavalan Solist Fino Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.8% (Taiwan) $469.00.
94 Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 58.6% (Taiwan) $214.00.
93 Kavalan Distillery Reserve Peated Malt Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 50.8% (Taiwan) $89.00.
95 Kavalan Distillery Reserve Madeira Cask Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 58.6% (Taiwan) $89.00.
95 Kavalan Solist Brandy Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.1% (Taiwan) $214.00.
93 Kavalan Solist Port Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 59.4% (Taiwan) $214.00.
96 Kavalan Solist Amontillado Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 56.3% (Taiwan) $599.00.
96 Kavalan Solist Manzanilla Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 57.8% (Taiwan) $599.00.
95 Kavalan Solist PX Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 55.6% (Taiwan) $699.00.
94 Kavalan Solist Moscatel Sherry Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 53.2% (Taiwan) $599.00.
88 King Car Conductor Single Malt Whisky 46% (Taiwan) $128.99.
95 King Car Conductor Single Malt Whisky 46% (Taiwan) $102.00.
92 King Car Conductor Single Malt Whisky 46% (Taiwan) $102.00.

Taiwanese Whisky

Spirits Glass Glencairn Canadian Amber.jpg
Serve in a Glencairn Ganadian Whisky Glass
Remarkably constructed in only 9 months in 2015, the Kavalan distillery is Taiwan's first whisky distillery. Despite their relative youth, the malt whiskies made at Kavalan are amazingly flavorful, complex, world-class spirits—modeled after Scottish single malts—that are a product of ingenuity, Scottish tradition and ingredients, and the unique tropical Taiwanese climate that accelerates the aging process.